Book Review: Peg and Rose Stir Up Trouble by Laurien Berenson

Sisters-in-law Peg Turnbull and Rose Donovan are still exploring their newly found friendship when Rose, a former nun who left the convent to marry her husband Peter, decides that Peg has been mourning Rose’s deceased brother Max for long enough. In Rose’s opinion, it’s high time that the widowed Peg found some new romantic companionship. To this end, she signs Peg up for Mature Mingle, an online dating service for their senior age group.

Peg’s first few dates are nothing short of disastrous, so she’s thrilled to eventually connect with the handsome and urbane Nolan Abercrombie. After an e-mail exchange that charms even the somewhat cynical Peg, she’s eager to finally meet in person. But, as she confides in Rose, she’s reluctant to make the first move for fear of seeming aggressive. Rose is disbelieving:

“This isn’t like you at all. You’re never hesitant about anything. And you’re certainly not shy. So what’s really going on?”

 

Peg sat back. “In case you haven’t noticed, this idea of yours yanked me totally out of my comfort zone. So excuse me if I’m still struggling to find my footing. But truthfully…?”

 

Rose nodded.

 

“I don’t want to be disappointed again. What if Nolan turns out to be deadly dull in person? Or if he’s only looking for a hookup?”

 

“Then I’d imagine you’ll deal with him the same way you do with everyone else,” Rose replied. “Indomitably.”

 

“Indomitably.” Peg let the word roll off her tongue. She liked the sound of it. “Is that how you see me?”

 

Rose laughed. “Are you kidding? That’s how everyone sees you.”

Peg and Nolan finally go on a series of dates, and at first everything goes amazingly. Nolan even introduces her to his sister Barbara, who is just as delightful as he is. But after Peg brings Nolan to a dog show, and Rose gently points out several of his flaws, the heat under their burgeoning romance downgrades to a simmer. Even so, Peg is distraught when Nolan becomes the victim of a deadly hit and run shortly after.

His funeral raises far more questions than answers, as many of the mourners seem to be women of about the same age as Peg and Rose. After it becomes clear that Nolan was something of a lothario – and worse, that he was a conman to boot – our intrepid duo realize that he was likely the deliberate target of vehicular homicide. But who of his many victims hated him enough to kill him?

Peg and Rose’s sleuthing soon brings them to a club, of sorts, of his former flames. These scorned women almost unanimously agree that the world is better off without him. Once in their cups, they even begin to speculate rather disturbingly on how they might have better dealt with him in life:

“What we should have done was make a plan and then take care of him ourselves.”

 

“All of us together?” Connie sounded skeptical.

 

“Yes, that’s why it could have worked. Since all of us would have been equally guilty, no one would have been able to figure out who the real culprit was.”

 

“That sounds familiar,” Gina said. “Didn’t some famous mystery author write a story about that?”

 

“Agatha Christie,” Aimee piped up. “So that’s out. Because who wants to be derivative?”

 

Seriously? Rose thought. That was her problem with the plan?

These women aren’t the only ones holding a grudge against the deceased, however. Disgruntled family and less than savory associates also have plenty of reason to want Nolan permanently out of the picture. With almost too many suspects to sort through, will Peg and Rose be able to figure out whodunnit before one of them becomes the killer’s next victim?

Our sleuthing duo are an absolute delight to spend time with, especially as their once prickly relationship continues to blossom into a sweetly supportive friendship. They’re such opposites, yet share a core of steely determination that compels them both to uncover the truth, whether separately or together. The subplots regarding Peg’s life as a dog show circuit judge and Rose’s work running a women’s shelter were also very absorbing, and I loved the resolution of the handyman story. Peg and Rose might be stirring up trouble, but they’re also clearing up obfuscations and freeing the innocent of suspicion or worse, as their series goes from strength to entertaining strength.